Repair of ventricle free wall rupture after acute myocardial infarction: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) may culminate in sudden death by ventricular fibrillation, cardiogenic shock, and cardiac rupture. We present a case of postinfarction rupture treated by direct closure and coronary artery bypass grafting after thrombolytic therapy. CASE REPORT: A 67-year-old woman with cardiac risk factors of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and being post-menopausal was admitted complaining of chest pain and sweating. Thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase was started due to acute myocardial infarction. But, reperfusion criteria were not achieved. Echocardiography revealed a moderate pericardial effusion with mild right chamber collapse and pericardial thrombus. Cardiac catheterization revealed totally occluded left anterior descending (LAD) and circumflex coronary arteries. She was taken to the operating-room immediately. The pericardium was opened and a large amount of blood with thrombus was removed. Her hemodynamic indices improved immediately. There was active bleeding from multiple sites with a 4 mm rupture. Cardiopulmonary bypass was established. Direct closure of rupture was carried out. Reversed autogenous saphenous vein bypass grafts were placed to the LAD and second obtuse margin coronary arteries. Postoperative recovery was uneventful and she was discharged from hospital in good condition. She remained asymptomatic during first year following the surgery. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates that left ventricular free wall rupture is not always fatal and that early diagnosis and emergency surgical therapy may be successful. The combination of surgical repair with revascularization should be considered, because 80% of patients who experience LVFWR have multivessel coronary artery disease.